Torque tool control



J. B. VlLMERDlNG ETAL 3,082,742

TORQUE TOOL CONTROL Filed May 9, 1960 March 26, 1963 INVENTORS r JOHN B V/L MERD/NG y) 50 JOHN P. KROUSE THEI ATTORNEY United States atent Patented Mar. 26, 1%83 3,082,742. TORQUE TOOL CONTRGL John B. Vilma-ding, Moorestown, NJL, and John P.

Isrouse, Athens, Pa, assignors to Ingersoll-Rand Company, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 9, 1960, Ser. No. 27,577 7 Claims. (Cl. 121-11) This invention relates to torque producing tools such as power screw drivers, wrenches and the like.

Although the invention may have many applications it 15 thought to be most useful as applied to hand-held tools, electrically or air operated.

It is an object of this invention to produce a tool which will start operating automatically as the operator applies it to the work and which will stop automatically when the torque resistance reaches a predetermined suitable value.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The drawing illustrates an improved embodiment of the invention as applied to a pneumatic hand-held screw driver and includes FIGURE 1, a longitudinal section of the rearmost part of such a tool extending to a point along its length indicated at the line X--X,

FIG. 2 is a forward part of the tool in longitudinal section extending from the line XX of PEG. 1 forwardly,

FIG. 3 is a section across the tool at the line 33 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the tool taken at the line 55 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the tool along the line 6--6 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 in which we have provided with an outer casing in sections comprising the backhead it) a portion 12 which is a valve casing to which is screwed the main body 14 housing the vane motor of the tool, a part 16 which may well be called the gear box and the forward or nose end 18 of the casing. These casing parts are preferably screwed together or may be fastened in any suitable manner.

Within the main body 14 of the casing is housed a suit-able pneumatic motor 2:) having a cylinder portion 22 having a rear head 24 and a front head 25 to form an enclosure within which revolves a rotor 28 with suitable vanes 30. The rotor 28 has a rearward stub shaft end 32 mounted in an anti-friction bearing 34 seated in a bore 36 of main body 14. The motor parts are located with respect to each other and with respect to the main body 14 by means of dowels 38 and 49.

In this embodiment, the motor 20 is pneumatically operated and is, therefore, adapted to be connected to a source of motive energy (not shown). To this end the backhead It is apertured at 42 to receive a threaded bushing 4-4 for connection to a flexible air hose (not shown). In the bore 42 air is adapted to be fed through a port 46 to the interior of the valve chamber 48 within the portion 12 of the casing. As will be seen portion 12 of the casing is in the form of a cap screwed onto the end of the rnain body 14 which houses a valve bushing 50 fitting in the threaded bore 52. Within the bushing Ed is slidably mounted a valve 54 provided at its head with a suitable sealing seat 56 cooperating with the face 58 of the inside of chamber 48 of member 12 at the port 46. Valve 54 thus controls admission of air into the chamber 48 whence it may be fed by a passage ea to an inlet port 62 of the motor 20.

Normally the valve 54 is held to its seat by a spring 64 and air pressure is admitted to the forward face of the valve 54 through a port 66 of somewhat restricted size so that when the air holding the valve to its seat is exhausted from chamber 63 behind the valve, pressure against the other face of the valve holds it open.

To accomplish this action there is provided a ball valve 7% controlling a passage '72 relatively wide open in comparison with the port 66, which leads to a transverse port 74 and in atmospheric escape port 76 in the side of the casing part 14.

Thus when valve 7d is unseated by means which will be described later valve 5 5 remains olf its seat whereby motive fluid is fed to the motor 28 through the passages and ports above described. The motor has discharge ports '78 through the cylinder portion 22 which lead by passages (not shown) to a rnufiler whose construction is not important in this connection but is indicated at the shell '80 surrounding part of the main body 14. The material indicated at 82 is felt which is adapted to damp the noise or" the exhaust.

vAt its forward end rotor 25 is integrally formed with a drive shaft 84 suitably journaled by means of anti-friction bearing 86 mounted in a bore 88 formed in the front head 26. The purpose of motor 243 is to rotate chuck 93 but as the speed of such a motor is far beyond what is normally required for rotating the chuck under ordinary circumstances a speed reduction device is provided. This is a planetary gearing of a quite conventional type including a spider 22. on which are rotatably mounted planet gears it? rotatable on bearing pins 98. As is customary in such gearing a stationary ring gear 1% is provided which in this instance is the gear cut inner face of easing part 16 and planet gears also mesh with and are driven by the teeth 94 cut on the end of the shaft 84. Spider 92 is suitably splined to engage the splined end 192 of shaft 104 forming part of the driving connection between motor 20* and chuck 99. The end of the spider 92 is suitably journaled by means of anti-friction bearing 1% in the part 16 of the casing.

Shaft 16'4- is a cam member and because of its splined connection with spider d2 has a fixed rotation relation with respect to the motor. It is designated a cam memher because at its forward end it is provided with a flanged head 1% in which are provided tapered grooves 1161, as shown more clearly in FIG. 4, in this instance five in number, to accommodate balls 112 held against rotation in holes 114 in a flange 11 6 extending from the body of the chuck 90.

The halls 112 are pressed into grooves 11d by what may be termed a high-hat bushing 118 encircling the shank of chuck 9t Bushing 113 may rotate in chuck 20 and this is permitted to be without friction as a ball bearing 12% is provided in the rim of bushing 118. The balls of ball bearing 120 have a bearing in a flange 122 of a cylindrical tube 124 extending upwardly (FIG. 2) to encircle the shaft portion of shaft or cam member 1%.

Within the space between tube 124 and cam member 104 is provided a heavy coil spring 126 which bears against the head 108 of cam member 164 and also against a nut 1'28 onto which the tube 124- 15 screwed. Cam member 1414 is slotted as at 130 to accommodate a spline 132 on the nut 128 intended to keep tube 124- from rotating with respect to cam member 1%. An insert 134 is provided to lock the nut 128 in place.

Depending upon the compression rate of spring 126 cam member 1% can turn with respect to chuck in so doing, the balls 112 ride up the tapered grooves to compress spring 126.

In other words, the torque required to provide such relative turning depends upon the compression rate of the spring 1243. As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 1 the chuck 9t) and its driving connection terminating in cam member 104 is slidable lengthwise of the casing, a certain degree of reciprocation being permitted since the splined end of cam member 104 can slide in the spider 92.

Such sliding is normally opposed by a spring 136 encircling cam member 104 and having at either end flanged bushings 138 and 140 bearing, respectively, against cam member 164 and the end of the spider 92. This recipro cation or endwise movement of chuck 90 is utilized as a means to operate valve 54.

To this end there is provided a rod 14-2 extending through the passage '72 in valve bushing 50, a bore 144 lengthwise of rotor 28, a bore 146 in member 1114, and a bore 148 in chuck 90.

Rod 142 terminates in an aperture 150 extending transversely of chuck 90. Aperture 152'? is of considerable depth as compared with a pin 152 extending transversely with respect to chuck 9t) and against which the end of rod 142 is adapted to bear. Pin 152 is fixedly supported at its ends in a sleeve 154 slidably mounted on the exterior of chuck 90. It is normally prevented from so doing by a horseshoe-shaped wire spring 155 which snaps into a groove 156 on the face of the chuck 90 and lies in a groove 158 in the sleeve 154. Threaded on the exterior of sleeve 154 is an adjusting sleeve 166 which screws toward or away from the end of the cylindrical tube 124.

The end of chuck t is provided with a hexagonal aperture 162 to fit the shank of a screw driver implement. This is protected by the end 164 of the nose end 18 which surrounds the end of the chuck 90.

Normally as will be seen the chuck 96 is urged forwardly by the spring 136 and this is limited by a flanged bushing 166 seating against an internally extending flange 163 on the nose end 18. Bushing 166 acts as a gland also containing packing ring 170 to exclude dirt from the interior of nose end 13.

To start operation of the tool, pressure against the implement (not shown) in the socket 162 of chuck 90 pushes the chuck back against the force of spring 136 and in so doing pin 152 is pressed against the rod 142 which unseats ball valve 70 permitting air to escape from chamber 63 by way of atmospheric vent 76, whereupon pressure against the top of valve 54 unseats the valve permitting motor iluid to flow through the passage 60 and into motor 29 to cause rotation, by way of the planetary gearing above described, of shaft or cam member 104, and by way of the cam grooves 110, balls 112 and the holes 114 in which the balls lie, rotation of the chuck 90 is etfected.

As a resistance to rotation of the chuck 90 increases cam member 104 tends to advance with respect to chuck 9t) and the balls 112 ride up into the cam grooves 110.

This has the effect of lengthening or extending the driving connection and since the bushings 138 and 140 will be in contact with each other due to the pressure on the chuck no motion is possible in that direction. The tube 124 therefore will tend to advance until its flange 122 presses against adjusting sleeve 160.

If suflicient torque resistance exists at chuck 9t), sleeve 154 will push the wire spring 155 out of its groove 156 carrying with it pin 152. As the pin 152 moves downwardly in aperture 150, rod 142 relieves the pressure on the valve 70 to allow it to reseat. Air pressures on the valve 54 at opposite ends being equal, spring 64 will tend to reseat the valve and to shut off the port 46 and the of a preferred embodiment. Without departing from the spirit of the invention many changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art by an understanding of the above description. The scope of the invention is understood to be limited merely by the scope of the appended claims.

Ve claim:

1. A torque producing tool comprising a motor adapted to be connected to a source of motive fluid, a valve to control the flow of such fluid to the motor, a chuck rereciprocable with respect to the valve and rotatable by said motor, an element responsive to such reciprocation to unseat the valve, yieldable means including a sleeve encircling said chuck and a spring detent connecting said sleeve to reciprocate with said chuck to operatively connect the chuck to said element, torque responsive means actuated by said chuck to cause said yieldable means to yield, and means to adjust said torque responsive means to respond at a predetermined torque.

2. A torque producing tool comprising a casing, a motor adapted to be connected with a source of motive fluid within the casing, a chuck rotatable by the motor and endwise slidable in the casing, a valve for controlling the flow of motive fluid to the motor, a driving connection between the motor and the chuck including a cam member having fixed rotation relation with respect to the motor, a second member non-rotatable with respect to the chuck and cammingly engaging said cam member and a resilient member holding the two said members in retracted position subject to extension by torque therebetween, a spring opposing endwise motion of said chuck and driving connection toward the motor, a rod extending through said driving connection into said chuck for unseating said valve, a sleeve on said chuck having a piece extending into said chuck to engage an end of said rod, there being an enlarged aperture in said chuck to receive said piece, a spring detent to hold said sleeve yieldingly in place on said chuck, said sleeve being in juxtaposition with the end of said driving connection whereby upon extension thereof said detent releases said sleeve from the chuck to release said rod and resent the valve.

3. A torque producing tool comprising a casing, a motor adapted to be connected with a source of motive fluid within the casing, a chuck rotatable by the motor and endwise slidable in the casing, a valve for controlling the flow of motive fiuid to the motor, a driving connection between the motor and the chuck including a cam member having fixed rotation relation with respect to the motor, a second member non-rotatable with respect to the chuck and cammingly engaging said cam member and a resilient member holding the two said members in retracted position subject to extension by torque therebetween, a spring opposing endwise motion of said chuck and driving connection toward the motor, a rod extending through said driving connection and into said chuck for unseating said valve, a sleeve on said chuck having a piece extending into said chuck to engage an end of said rod, there being an enlarged aperture in said chuck to receive said piece, a spring detent to hold said sleeve yieldingly in place on said chuck, said sleeve being in juxtaposition with the end of said driving connection whereby upon extension thereof said detent releases said sleeve from the chuck to release said rod and reseat the valve, and an abutment on the easing cooperative with said sleeve to force said detent to its supply of air to motor 20, whereupon the tool stops rodetaining position. tation. 4. A torque producing tool comprising a casing having To restore the apparatus to its original position for suban abutment in one end, a motor in the casing adapted sequent operation, the operator merely relieves the presto be connected to a source of motive fluid, a chuck rosure on chuck t whereupon spring 136 pushes the drivtatable by the motor and movable endwise in the casing, ing connection forward and since the rotational effort is a normally closed valve in the casing for controlling flow stopped, the cam balls 112 return to their normal posiof pressure fluid to the motor that opens in response to tion, bushing 166 pushes sleeve 154 back to a position at endwise movement of the chuck and closes at a predeterwhich the wire spring 155 reenters groove 156 in chuck mined torque, clutch means connecting the motor and 9 chuck to provide a limited torque transmitting connection The above description is merely by way of illustration and being expansible endwise when torque reaches a predetermined value, spring means opposing endwise movement of the chuck toward the valve and expansion of the clutch, means operatively connecting the chuck to the valve and including a sleeve encircling an end of the chuck, the sleeve being moved into engagement with the clutch by endwise movement of the chuck opening the valve and being moved endwise relative to the chuck into engagement with the abutment by expansion of the clutch, and a spring detent connecting the sleeve for endwise movement with the chuck and being unseated by movement of the sleeve relative to the chuck to close the valve, the spring detent being reseated by endwise movement of the chuck when the sleeve is in engagement with the abutment.

5. The torque producing tool in accordance with claim 4 wherein the valve operating means with the sleeve has a pin connected to the sleeve extending through an enlarged aperture in the chuck, and a rod extending through the clutch from the pin to the valve.

6. A torque producing tool comprising a casing having an abutment in one end, a motor in the casing adapted to be connected to a source of motive fluid, a chuck rotatable by the motor and movable endwise in the casing, 1a normally closed valve in the casing for controlling flow of pressure fluid to the motor that opens in response to endwise movement of the chuck and closes at a predetermined torque, clutch means connecting the motor and chuck to provide a limited torque transmitting connection and being movable endwise with the chuck, the chuck having a bushing movable endwise relative to the chuck when torque reaches a predetermined level and spring means opposing such movement of the bushing, spring means opposing endwise movement of the chuck and clutch toward the valve, means operatively connecting the chuck to the valve and including a sleeve encircling an end of the chuck, the sleeve being moved into engagement with the bushing by endwise movement of the chuck opening the valve and being moved endwise relative to the chuck into engagement with the abutment by movement of the bushing, and

a spring detent connecting the sleeve for endwise move:

ment with the chuck and being unseated by movement of the sleeve relative to the chuck to close the valve, the spring detent being reseated by endwise movement of the chuck when the sleeve is in engagement with the abutment.

7. The torque producing tool in accordance with claim 6 wherein the valve operating means with the sleeve has a pin connected to the sleeve extending through an enlarged aperture in the chuck, and a rod extending through the clutch from the pin to the valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A TORQUE PRODUCING TOOL COMPRISING A MOTOR ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF MOTIVE FLUID, A VALVE TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF SUCH FLUID TO THE MOTOR, A CHUCK RERECIPROCABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE VALVE AND ROTATABLE BY SAID MOTOR, AN ELEMENT RESPONSIVE TO SUCH RECIPROCATION TO UNSEAT THE VALVE, YIELDABLE MEANS INCLUDING A SLEEVE ENCIRCLING SAID CHUCK AND A SPRING DETENT CONNECTING SAID SLEEVE TO RECIPROCATE WITH SAID CHUCK TO OPERATIVELY CONNECT THE CHUCK TO SAID ELEMENT, TORQUE RESPONSIVE MEANS 